Delivering decent healthcare
SOCIAL entrepreneur Pumza Matwele aims to use her skills and insights to bring about positive change to how healthcare is delivered in township communities.
Her Shap’left store is located in Spine Road, Khayelitsha, and she has plans to open another soon.
“Taking on the healthcare issues of our local community has strengthened our relationship with our township community,” said Matwele.
“It has never been easier for our community to access basic medication, hence our vision is to replicate the service we provide in other communities.
“So when the opportunity arose to partner with the Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurship, based at UCT’s Graduate School of Business, and the global pharmaceutical company Cipla to develop the Shap’left concept, I took it with both hands and since then have not looked back,” said Matwele.
She added that her vision for the facility was to have a medication dispensing unit, a nursing unit with a CDU (chronic medication dispensing unit) all in one place but set up in different communities.
This was to overcome health service challenges and the hassle of elderly people having to queue in clinics throughout the day in order to receive their medication, according to Matwele.
“Moreover, my network of national and local wholesale pharmaceutical distributors ensures that I always have the latest and best medicines available for customers.
“And my key partnerships with local doctors and nurses ensures that I’m able to refer patients when required in severe cases,” Matwele said.
Shap’left’s feasibility studies show it is paramount that its products and services are delivered to many communities.
“I am not here to replace clinics, we need them in our communities.
“I am here to work together with other key partners to help our communities and other townships become and remain healthy.
“After all being healthy is just as important as being or becoming wealthy,” said Matwele.